What's the difference between Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) and Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2)?

They used to say hsv-1 caused oral herpes, and hsv-2 causes genital herpes, but this is no longer correct.

HSV-1 can cause both genital and oral herpes. It causes maybe 95% of oral herpes, and where I live in the UK about 60% + of genital herpes. In fact, of the three women I know wth genital herpes all have type 1. HSV-1 is better adapted to the mouth, which means you will get more outbreaks if you have it orally than if you have it genitally, and it is infectious more of the time - about 16-18% of the time when the infection is oral and 3-4% when it is genital. About 60% of the population is infected with hsv-1 by high school age, and about 95% by age 50.

HSV-2 is usually found genitally. It prefers to be on the genitals - it can be caught orally, and many more people than realise probably have it orally, but when it causes an oral infection it hardly ever causes symptoms or recurrences, and is minimally infectious. When it causes a genital infection, it produces more outbreaks, and is infectious maybe 16% of the time on average. 25% of women and 20% of men have hsv-2 in the USA; by middle age this is more like 30-40%.

In order of degree of infectiousness, in decreasing order it would be oral hsv-1, genital hsv-2, genital hsv-1 and finally oral hsv-2.

Apart from the number of outbreaks, there is nothing to distinguish the two types, both cause exactly the same symptoms - small, fluid filled blisters that quickly burst to form small sores that heal within a few days are the classic symptoms, though milder infections can be mistaken for a yeast infection or a pimple. People often get warning signs of an outbreak before they get it - sore facial or leg nerves, or a tingling on the lips or on the genitals. Genitally or orally, symptoms are the same. Infections caused by either virus, whether the infection is oral or genital, while mainly infectious while sores are present, are sometimes infectious when no symptoms are present, and this is known as 'asymptomatic shedding'.

Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but it more commonly causes infections of the mouth and lips, so-called "fever blisters."

no real difference -both are a virus and can be controlled with antiviral meds. they can be transmitted sexually and by direct contact. they are found in any warm, moist spot on the body.

Name and location.

herpes simplex 1 usually is associated with the mouth, herpes of the mouth, 2 is genital hepres. Not everyone that has fever blisters have herpes though! Herpes of the mouth is much worse and much more painful than just fever blisters

I am pretty sure one is genital herpes and one is oral herpes, Like cold sores are a type of herpes.

HS1 is usually on the mouth area while HS2 is generally in the genital area. Both are contagious through contact, not body fluids. It is possible to pass HS1 to the genitals and HS2 to the mouth through oral sex. They both generally decrease in severity with time as the body builds up a natural immunity, and meds on the market today are a great help in dealing with outbreaks.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is responsible for cold sores and fever blisters, while herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is the main cause of the condition known as genital herpes.

http://www.herpesonline.org/articles/her...

HSV 1 is around the mouth (cold sores). HSV 2 is the same but in the genital area. HSV 1/2 can be transmitted asexually from one area to the other.

idk dont want either one and both prob suck